Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-10
HARPER TESTIFIES :!
C.NClNNATPS BANK WREckER ON
 THE STAND.
His Alleged Sacrifice of Personal For tune to Save the Credit of tho Bank. His Manner in the Witness Box-A Damaging Admission.

His Manner in the Witness Bo4-A Damaging Admission.
 CINCINNATI, Dec 10.-Yesterday was the great day in the trial of E. L. Harper. Until after court opened it was not known whether Harper himself would become a witness or not. It has been said that his counsel pro- tested against his appearance on the witness stand, and that he as firmly insisted that his interests demanded that he should tell his own story. There was an unusual throng of spectators Harper appeared pale and anx- ious, his wife weary, and her sister, Miss Matthews, wore face bearing traces of re- cent distress Mr. Blackburn called MT. Harper to the witness stand. Before he took the oath Judge Jackson asked:
 'Did you request to be placed on the wit ness standg'
 "Yes, sir" was the answer.
 The oath was then administered, and the witness told of his business career, ending with the Fidelity bank, which, he said, he organized out of the Fidelity Safe Deposit and Trust company. He smiled when asked if he knew J. w. Wiltshire, and went on to detail Wilshire's connection with the Fidel- ity bank. He said that in September, 1SS6 r. he was induced by Wiltshire to make him Q loan of $55, ,OO0. Wiltshire at that time was debtor to the bank to the amount of $20O. 900, and he represented to Harper that if this loan was not made the bank would suffer. He accommodated him upon taking an agreement to transfer certain real estate, and also 100 shares of Fidelity stock at par, then worth 16O All went we'll, until in October, when witness returned from little dinner party composed of Wiltshire and some officers of the bank, and found that during his absence Wiltshire, Eckert 6 Go. s check for S26, 900 on the First Natit nal bank had been returned not good. That check Wiltshire said he was unable to make good, and we were compelled to carry it. Another day, whom witness went out, Wiltshire, Eckert & Co. got Hopkins to wire $60,0OO credit to Chicago upon certified cheeks. At the close of business hours that day he found Wiltshire, Eckert & Co.'s account over- drawn 0,OJO, with the former $26, 900, their former debt to the bank of 1000, and tbeir debt to him of S55, 900. He felt that they were in a dangerous position. Will share transft rred to him the real estate and the stock, which he turned over to the bank. He $ O. med at Wilshire, but could get l. oth- ing cut of him. He then suggested to the cashier to take call loan from Wiltshire, Eckert x Go. to square their account and save the cashier. Mr. Harper stated unre- servedly that he never gave an order of any kind to MT. Eckert to buy grain for him in Chicago, and he was equally sweeping and
 
 MT. Wiltshire to buy grain for him in Chi cago or elsewhere. This is the point of the whole case, and is in direct conflict with the testimony of both MT. Wiltshire and Mr. Eckert.
 Harper's manner on the stand showed what a difficult man he has been for his attorneys to manage. He took the jury into his confidence, and talked to them with the purpose of convincing them, but all the time was transgressing the rules of evidence as explained to him time and again by Judge Jackson. He argued his case as he went along, until Judge Jackson's rebukes began to bear the tones of impatience. He testified dozen times to occurrences which he did not witness, but of which somebody had told him. Every question furnished @ new opportunity for him to say what his inten- tions were.
 He said that Wiltshire hai gone to Cleve- land to get help from his brother-in-law and had come back with nothing, and, later, that Wiltshire had mortgaged property for $14O,- GOO, and explained to him that he did so to make good that sum of money sunk by him in wheat taken from his fathers estate He explained, also, how he discounted Lewis notes at Wilshire's suggestion, and after again denying that a dollar of the banks money or his went into the wheat deal went on to tell of the crash; how Wiltshire and Hopkins followed him to Bomans, where he dined, and with tears in their eyes begged him to let them have more money. He had refused Wiltshire that morning. Hopkins suggested telegraphing to bank in Chicago to see how much they would take to carry the deal through. Hopkins sent such a tele- gram to the American Exchange bank, Chicago. When witness returned from dinner he found a telegram on his % desk from that bank saying that if Wiltshire was there next morning with S6OO, ,OOO it would be safe. That was where Kershaw &c Co. had their account. He told how Wiltshire, Hopkins and he talked the matter over and decided that they would save the bank. Hopkins had a letter ot credit drawn for $2O0,00O, and four drafts on the Chemical bank of New York fo, $1OO,OOO. Wiltshire was afraid to carry tho money lest it be attached, and it was ar ranged that Gahr should go with him. Gahl was instructed to not give up the money without guarantee. Next morning he re peated this warning by telegram and wa answered that it was too late. He thel stopped payment on the drafts. He becam affected at this point, and, wiping his eyes went on to say how he put all his none, into the bank to save it, only to see tn other directors walk in and check theirs out Only Zimmerman, of all the directors, ot fered any aSSlSCanco. lnen Cne gOVefnmen came in and the end was reached.
 He was about to leave the stand when MI Blackburn asked him if he had anything t do with Mr. Hopkins wheat deals throug Broker Hoyt. He answered that he pai Hopkins draft, but he did it to protect tn bank.
 1T was interested through Hopkins to tha extent. We would first protect the interest of the bank, and after that was done, if ther was any profit left, it was to be divided bt tween Hopkins and myself"
 A sensation ran through the court room 6 these words were uttered. MT. Blackburn to break the force of the admission, asked:
 'Did you at any time have any intent ali these transactions to defraud the hank anybody elsep'
 ''None in the world," was the answe Miss Matthews at this point was in tears.
 The cross examination was brief an pointed. It brought out the single fact tn, he purchased certificates of deposit with h own checks, which were not charged to account.
 The Next G. A. R. Encampment.
 COLUMBUS, O., Dec. 1O.-The nation council of administration of the G. A. concluded it's session here yesterday afte